It's been a busy football summer for Mason Randall, who will be a junior at Notre Dame High School this year.
He's established himself as a legitimate contender for a Division 1 roster spot.
Last month, he was number one, with the highest score of all lineman, participating at the sections 5 and 6 NYS High School Football Coaches Association Combine held at Fairport High School.
That earned him an invitation to the “Elite Showcase,” held at Ithaca College this past weekend, where he showed off his skills along with 250 of the state's best high school football players.
His father, Doug Randall, said the combine went really well:
The coaches from the colleges and high schools were very positive and offered a lot of tips and advice to the young men including the importance of their high school grades.
The participants were broken up into smaller specialty groups to work with various college coaches. They were warmed up and given instruction and demonstration in proper technique and then they put those instructions to use in someone on one competition.
At the end of the showcase, the students were given the opportunity to meet one on one with all the coaches and ask questions about the different programs and schools in hopes of cultivating an invitation to play for them.
Notre Dame's incoming Head Coach Joe Zambito said he's very fortunate to be taking over a team with a player like Mason on it, along with a group of linemen who are all impressive in size and ability.
"We have a really good line coming back Mason is a great student-athlete," Zambito said. "He’s unbelievable to coach and I’m lucky enough that in my first year I get to coach guys like him."
He said Mason's showing at the combines is really impressive.
"He beat some guys who already have Division I scholarships," Zambito said. "It goes to show you how hard he’s worked in the off-season to get himself in shape and in place to become an elite lineman, not only in GR but in New York State.
Mason said it feels great to get the recognition he's received and earning a D1 scholarship is one of his football dreams.
"Division I highest level," Mason said. "I’ve always loved football. My dad’s always loved football and everybody else in my family. Nobody in my family has ever gone D1. I had a couple of grandfathers go D2, but it would be so great to be able to go D1."
